Wednesday Wisdom

St. Augustine (Aurelius Augustinus, 354–430 AD) was a brilliant Roman educated rhetorician from North Africa. He grew up following Manichaeism which is a dualistic religion of good/evil and light/darkness but converted to Christianity after a profound experience. He went on to become the Bishop of Hippo, an ancient city in Algeria, and one of the most influential theologians and philosophers in Western history. His monumental works, including Confessions and The City of God, profoundly shaped doctrines on grace, sin, the relationship between the Church and secular society, securing his legacy as an intellectual thought leader of the Church.

Augustine railed against Manichaeanism in his writings defining the religion as heretical. However, the dualist nature of the religion remained an important part of his thinking and philosophy. In his seminal and doctoral work City of God, St Augustine and reflects the “Dualism” of Manicheanism by contrasting a world of people who live according to God are guided by eternal truth and divine love, while the “City of Man”, or Earthly City, represents those focused on power, self-interest, and worldly success, driven by pride and temporary concerns.

The City of God is divided into 22 books. In book 19 (XIX), St Augustine wrestles with the contradiction on how a Christian could live in a violent world. He lays a foundation for understanding war believing it as a necessary evil to restore peace and order. He emphasized inner morality to focus on a just cause with righteous intentions and having the legitimate authority. Augustine gives the moral philosophy that war can be justified, but only reluctantly and for peace and even in war, you should love your enemy and avoid cruelty

Thomas Aquinas follows the ethical tradition

St Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was a Dominican Friar who combined his faith with Aristotelian logic. In the “Summa Theologica”, he systematized Augustine’s ideas into a clear framework. He formalized 3 strict conditions for a just war legitimate authority, declared by a proper ruler, just cause to confront wrongdoing and the right intention to promote good or avoid evil. But he went further by shaping what later became Jus ad bellum (when you can go to war) and jus in bello (how to fight ethically). Aquinas added the concept of proportionality, emphasizing not using excessive force and in using discrimination in protecting civilians.

St. Leo I, also known as Leo the Great, was one of the most important leaders of the early Christian Church. He served as pope from 440 to 461 AD and is remembered for shaping the role of the papacy, defending orthodox Christian belief, and even helping protect Rome during a time of crisis. Leo is also remembered for his courage in dangerous times. In 452 AD, he met Attila the Hun, persuading him not to attack Rome. In 455 AD, when the Vandals invaded, Leo helped reduce destruction and protect civilians understanding peace as a unifying philosophy. Pope Leo XIII was the leader of the church at the turn of the century and was known as an advocate for social justice and the rights of people.

The Order of Saint Augustine began in the 13th century, some 900 years after St Augustine life. Several groups of hermits in Italy were united by the Church to live a common religious life. They based their way of living on the teachings of Saint Augustine of Hippo, especially his rule, which emphasized community, humility, and shared purpose. Although Augustine himself lived centuries earlier, his writings provided the spiritual and practical foundation for the order. As a result, the Augustinians see themselves as continuing his vision of a life centered on faith, learning, and unity.

Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, and became the first American Pope. His parents were devout Catholics, actively involved in parish life, which deeply influenced his spiritual formation. Prevost attended St. Mary of the Assumption parish school, served as an altar boy, and participated in the church choir. Prevost entered the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers at age 14 and later attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan (1969–1973), excelling academically and in extracurricular activities. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University (also Augustinian) in 1977, studying philosophy and Hebrew alongside his major. On September 1, 1977, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.), making his first vows in 1978 and solemn vows in 1981. He completed theological studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982. Prevost then pursued advanced studies in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), earning a licentiate (similar to a master’s degree) in 1984 and a doctorate in 1987. He took the name Leo and is believed to be inspired by not only Leo the Great but Leo XIII who held the papacy from 1878 to 1903 and is known for  the 1891 encyclical “Rerum novarum,” or “Of revolutionary change.” The letter critiques socialism and unrestricted capitalism, prioritizes the rights of workers and the needs of the poor, and reaffirms the Catholic Church’s purpose of working toward justice and dignity for everyone.

2026 why it’s still so important

The United Nations may seem dysfunctional or antiquated at times but serves a purpose in bringing nations together most nations to agree on an international law of standards. Arguably toothless, it does provide a standard or an index to judge the actions of countries. It contains the United Nations Security Council and the International Criminal Court to provide an ethical view of the actions of nations. St. Thomas Aquinas translated St. Augustine’s morality into rules that resemble modern law. In Article 51 of the UN Charter provides the scope for the right to self-defense and is built on the principles of St. Aquinas and St. Augustine. War as a last resort and a tragic necessity, not something to celebrate, underpins modern diplomatic norms. Peace should be the ultimate goal, and international organizations should prioritize stability and peacekeeping, not conquest. Most importantly there is a moral responsibility of leaders are expected to justify war in ethical not just strategic terms.

Modern international law still reflects Augustine’s ethical framework when it comes to “Just War Theory”. The United Nations basis on military intervention, rules of engagement and war crimes are instilled in the Augustin and Aquinas teaching. Perhaps, the Vicar of the Prince of Peace, a man steeped in the tradition and the philosophy of St. Augustine should be listened to not just in reverence but in the words of wisdom.

And now you know...

Thanks, Dad, for the gift of curiosity!

Philosophy is the art of thinking, the building block of progress that shapes critical thinking across economics, ethics, religion, and science.

METAPHYSICS: Literally, the term metaphysics means ‘beyond the physical.’ Typically, this is the branch that most people think of when they picture philosophy. In metaphysics, the goal is to answer the what and how questions in life. Who are we, and what are time and space?

LOGIC: The study of reasoning. Much like metaphysics, understanding logic helps to understand and appreciate how we perceive the rest of our world. More than that, it provides a foundation for which to build and interpret arguments and analyses.

ETHICS: The study of morality, right and wrong, good and evil. Ethics tackles difficult conversations by adding weight to actions and decisions. Politics takes ethics to a larger scale, applying it to a group (or groups) of people. Political philosophers study political governments, laws, justice, authority, rights, liberty, ethics, and much more.

AESTHETICS: What is beautiful? Philosophers try to understand, qualify, and quantify what makes art what it is. Aesthetics also takes a deeper look at the artwork itself, trying to understand the meaning behind it, both art as a whole and art on an individual level. A question an aesthetics philosopher would seek to address is whether or not beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

EPISTEMOLOGY: This is the study and understanding of knowledge. The main question is how do we know? We can question the limitations of logic, how comprehension works, and the ability (or perception) to be certain.